State neads leadership

News editorial

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POSTED:July 21, 2010 11:10 a.m.

We don’t know who will be the next governor of Georgia. But we do know he -- or she -- faces a mountain of challenges and a wide range of issues that require leadership. Just off the top of our head: - The state is in a financial crisis. Some believe it’s going to get worse, much worse, before it gets better. - Transportation is a mess. The state’s roads were woefully inadequate to meet the needs of Georgia a decade ago. They’re even less so now thanks to years of growth and lack of investment. - Schools. Despite noticeable increases in test scores around the state, Georgia still trails most of the U.S. in education. - Water. For years it was treated like an infinite resource and economic football. Now we know better. At least we know it isn’t an infinite resource. The jury’s still out on whether we’ve learned water is too important to be “owned” by any particular group. - The environment. Georgia has an environment worth both treasuring and protecting. Yes, there’s a difference. - Fair taxation. Various attempts have been made in recent years to fix Georgia’s property tax system to relieve the burden on homeowners. More needs to be done.- Ethics. Politicians talked a lot about ethics earlier in the campaign and state legislators passed bills that get tough on those in state and local government who violate the public trust. Only thing they forgot to do was pay for it. - Morale. It’s the governor’s job to not only represent the entire state, but also to cheer us on when times are tough. We’re not talking about giving false hope, but leading in a manner that will inspire confidence and help move this state forward. Indeed, improving morale may need to be the next governor’s No. 1 priority.